The Capital and The City That Never Sleeps
by WeLoveNeville
Summary: What happens when you mix two different crime-solving teams into one case with the added extra of having 2 authors around? With one of those writers actually an agent. NCIS Team Gibbs, please meet Castle Team Beckett. Set around mid-season 8 of NCIS and Season 5 of Castle.
1. Chapter One:The Navy Yard,Washington DC

_**Author's Note:**_

_This is my second story and first cross-over of my favourite TV shows: __**Castle **__and __**NCIS. **__Neither belongs to me, because if they did, Kate and Rick would be married, Lanie and Esposito would be a couple again, Tim and Abby would be together, Ziva and Tony would be together and Jenny would have not die._

_I will get stuck right into the case around the third chapter.  
_

_Please review._

_Cesca_

* * *

**Chapter One: The Navy Yard,Washington D.C.**

Special Agent Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo was hell-assed bored out of his mind.

In other, simpler terms, he was stuck in the "Can-A-Navy-Guy-Please-Be-Killed-For-No-Reason?" mood.

Boss was off getting his fourth Starbucks coffee of the day, McGee was off downstairs with Abby, getting his fun with the happy-go-lucky Goth and a lab full of high-tech computers, and Ziva?

Ziver was studying her one of her deadly knives with one eye, feet up on her desk, and her other eye on the bored senior field agent across from her.

Tony shivered, noticing that Ziva David had her eye on him, while holding a deadly weapon. Seeing his partner holding one of the biggest links to her past life in the Mossad really bugged him. It did send icy shivers down the spine of his back. And those knives-

Wait! That wasn't one of her knives! That was _his_ letter-opener knife!

Tony was about to go check what other possessions of his had been nicked when the beautiful Israeli threw the knife at him.

He ducked and it pinned right into the board behind him.

If he hadn't ducked, his throat would have joined the knife in that board.

"I sharpened it for you. It was too blunt for my liking," Ziva told him with a sneaky smile. "Relax, Tony-"for DiNozzo was staring wide-eyed at the mark the knife had made, after he yanked it out, "-I knew I wouldn't hit you."

Tony knew that. But it still didn't mean that he wasn't shit scared of the ninja moves Ziva had.

Cause he was.

Still.

There hadn't been a body in three days, and even Gibbs-"Boss"- was getting frustrated with the lack of fieldwork. There was only so much paperwork the whole team could take before they were going barmy.

And even Tim thought it would be a little bit of light-hearted fun if Gibbs whipped out the baseball bat from beside his desk and smashed the living day lights out of his computer, as that would even be relief from the boredom the team were drifting in.

Gibbs passed the bullpen then, coffee in one hand, on the phone with the other hand, heading for MTAC.

MTAC! Tony beamed across to Ziva.

"Boss is going up to MTAC. That must mean there is a body. That must mean work!"

"Or Director Vance wants a word with Gibbs," Ziva stated one of the most obvious reasons. "But, wow! Tony DiNozzo _actually _wants to _work!_"

McGee caught the "But, wow! Tony DiNozzo _actually _wants to _work!_" statement of Ziva's as he came into the bullpen and sat at his desk. The younger field agent (but yes, a senior field agent at the end of the day) personally enjoyed being round Abby when the fieldwork was nada. Then he could not be the objections of Tony's pranks.

"What's this about? Tony wants to work?" McGee asked Ziva curiously. "Where's the Boss?"

"Up at MTAC. Probably seeing Vance-no, _definitely _seeing Vance. So we can get a dead guy's murder to investigate-"

"Tony, people have to be _dead_ in order for us _to_ investigate!"

Tony was about to throw something at McGee (his stapler) when he received a "Gibbs", across the back of his head.

"Ouch!"

"Gear up, we've gotta body," Gibbs strode over to his desk to collect his gun, sipping his coffee. "On second thoughts, pack a bag."

"Where are we going, Boss? Not L.A. again!" Tony whinged. Gibbs eyed the agent.

"New York. Dead Navy Seal was found by some New Yorker detectives."

And even though it meant a few nights from home, in another state and city, Tony could not help but beam in childish delight as he raced out of the bullpen with his bag for the lift, and to get home to "pack a bag."

Because, no doubt about it, Special Agent Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo loved the thrill of his job.

Fact.


	2. Chapter Two: 12th Precinct,New York City

_**Author's Note:**_

_I am so sorry for how long it has taken for me to write and update this! It has been a hectic two weeks for me, in between horrid controlled assessments, and finishing up my BTEC course._

_But, anyway, here it is._

_Please review._

_**Castle **__and __**NCIS **__don't belong to me, sadly. If they did, they really would be a cross-over between the two._

_Cesca_

* * *

**Chapter Two: 12****th**** Precinct, New York City**

New York's finest detectives, Detectives Beckett, Esposito and Ryan, along with New York's finest author, Beckett's long-term partner and boyfriend, Richard Castle, were sitting in the 12th precinct, doing paperwork.

Except Rick, obviously. He never helped in the paperwork.

He just preferred to help catch the bad guys.

The only reason they were doing paperwork was a simple one: Iron Gates had not dropped a murder case file onto the lead detective's (Beckett) desk in three days. Hence the overflowing, messy paperwork files, which were gathering dust on all their desks, were being given the most priority they would ever receive in their lifetimes.

Castle dropped a huge handful of M&M's from Kate's bowl on her desk into his mouth, and chewed noisily, eyeing his beautiful girlfriend. The relationship was strictly "professional" at work, but everyone knew where Beckett went home after a long, tiring day at work.

"Don't you have a new chapter to write or something? For the next book?"

Beckett looked up, and so did Ryan and Espo. She knew Castle was hell bored (God, so was she!) but it was annoying that he was deliberately _trying _to annoy _her_.

Rick didn't get the chance to give her a smart-assed answer, because at that moment Captain Gates pushed her head around her office door and called, "Detectives Beckett, Esposito, Ryan, and -" and grudgingly-"Mr Castle, there's a body."

Ryan practically ran to go get the details off the Captain, while Castle beamed, "A body, a body!" nearly bursting into song.

They were all tired of sitting around and doing "nothing". Even Kate.

"Maybe one of my crazy theories could be right this time!"

"I doubt it, Rick. They never are. You just like spinning stories. Like a child."

"Makes you want me, right?"

"Shut up. A little respect for the dead here."

But Kate was blushing pink as she ducked under the police tape that Castle held up for her. Ryan and Esposito were grinning, and Espo couldn't help but whisper, "Nice one, bro," to Castle, who smiled.

The sight that greeted them wiped the grins and smiles off their faces though.

They were introduced to a head-less body, which was dressed in some sort of navy uniform. Not the NYPD blues, but something else. There was quite a blood pool too, surrounding the body, in the abandoned alley. Lanie, their gorgeous M.E. was down by the body, examining it, but she glanced up as the team approached.

"How was this found?"

"A restaurant owner was checking his bins this morning," Ryan checked his notebook. Him and Espo had arrived a bit earlier than Castle and Beckett, and were well informed of the situation. "Saw the body, and called in 911. Says he's never seen him before. No ID on the body."

"He's got no head, so how can the owner tell?" Castle pointed out.

He was ignored.

"There's no cameras round here either, so that's a dead end," Javier added, "It's quite a neighbourhood, Beckett, but we can rule out a mugging gone wrong."

"Three gun shot wounds to the chest, but from the blood pool where his head should be, I'm saying the GSWs were post-mortem," Lanie told Beckett, standing up and pointing with a pen, wearing gloves. She noticed that Rick's eyes were the size of saucers, excited and bright. "Whoa, Writer Boy, what's that expression for?"

The writer was like a kid on a sugar rush, exactly how Beckett had described him to their old Captain about five years ago.

"We've a headhunter roaming the streets of New York! How can-one of my theories is right! This is so CIA!"

"Like nearly everything is CIA to you," Ryan sighed in amusement. "Does anyone recognise that weird uniform?"

"Check his arms, Lanie, see if there is any tattoos," Beckett asked and so the M.E. rolled up one of the sleeves of the uniform, which was puzzling them all. None of them knew it definitely, but it was stirring some kind of recognition in Kate and Rick. "Ah."

A navy tattoo adorned the right bicep of the dead man. That was when it clicked for Beckett.

"We've got ourselves a Navy guy, you lot. That's a navy uniform. God," Beckett turned to look at the four of them: Lanie, Ryan, Esposito and Castle.

"Do we even _deal _with Navy? Or does that go straight to the FBI?" Javier asked curiously as Kate began to walk off, after saying to Lanie, "I'll see you down in autopsy later." The three men hurried after her, ducking under the tape with her.

"Navy? Naw, that's NCIS territory," Castle answered that query, to the surprise of his girlfriend, who asked,"How do you know of NCIS, Castle?"

"It came up in passing when I was researching the CIA for Derrick Storm. They are not really known, but they are worldwide," Castle shrugged, and Beckett bit her bottom lip as he added; "Now we will have worked with three of the most important services! FBI, CIA and soon NCIS!"

Beckett hated other people interfering in _her_ investigations.

She voiced her opinion then.

"I don't want to involve them, but I guess we have to, don't we? Sir will probably phone them up in D.C."

"Yep! Oh, I hope they bring some cool gadgets!"

Rick was off talking to the younger detective, Ryan, about the "cool gadgets" that NCIS could bring. _If they come_, thought Kate.

She hoped they wouldn't.

But they would. They always did.

Back at the precinct, the famous whiteboard was already partly filled with information about the dead Navy Seal. NCIS had been contacted to inform them about the death of Petty Officer Nadell, a New Yorker by birth, but with a Spanish father and an Irish mother.

NCIS had told the 12th precinct that a team of agents would be flying in from Washington D.C., the capital, and even Kate had to admit now that she was a little bit excited at the thought.

Naturally, Castle was the most excited; nearly wetting himself in the thought of working with another agency.

And so the short wait began in the precinct for the team of NCIS agents.


	3. Chapter Three:Rules

_**Author's Note:**_

_I wrote this as I watch NCIS, the episode where Gibbs helps out Maddie, his daughter's best friend. *Sniff*. So sad seeing him remembering Sharon and Kelly. Oh, and Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix._

_Please, review. It would make my day- well, night._

_Thank you, so much._

_**Castle **__and __**NCIS **__don't belong to me, sadly. If they did, there would be more scenes involving Kelly Gibbs (RIP) and we would know a hell lot more about Rick's father._

_Cesca_

* * *

**Chapter Three: Rules**

"I hope there is at least _one _hot chic on this team of detectives."

Tony was chewing gum, shouldering his black backpack, and Ziva sighed in utter disgust.

_Why did he always want to flirt with every woman when they worked a case? If they are hot? _thought Ziva, as they rode up in the elevator of the NYPD's 12th precinct. Gibbs was clutching yet another coffee, and the case file of their dead petty officer. McGee was keeping a firm grip on one of his many laptops, glancing around the elevator with curious eyes.

"DiNozzo, you are here to do work, not to meet girls," Gibbs ordered DiNozzo. "Rule Twelve."

"Right, Boss."

The elevator doors slid open to reveal a busy office floor to the D.C. agents. Busy like home, so no change there. Swigging from the white Starbucks coffee cup, Gibbs lead his team out of the elevator, and was subsequently crossed paths with the woman he exactly needed to see: Captain Gates.

"Ah, you must be the NCIS agents! Please, come into my office!"

McGee noticed that they got a lot of excited attention as they headed for an office. But he was used to the unwanted attention they got now.

"I am Victoria Gates, the Captain of this precinct. Thank you for coming here so quickly," Iron Gates introduced herself to Gibbs' team. Gibbs nodded. He was eager to start and solve this petty officer's murder as effectively as possible.

He just wanted to be back home in Washington.

"Gibbs," Leroy introduced himself by his surname. As always. "Where is the team of detectives assigned to this case?" he asked urgently. But the Captain just wanted to make clear a few more details yet.

"Will you want the body flown back to D.C. for your own autopsy?"

"No. If it's been autopsied here then that's alright. However, we would like any of the evidence to be reviewed by our technician Abby, back in D.C."

"Ok, sure. I will take you to my detectives now."

She strode out of her office and the agents followed her.

Tony got his hot chic.

Beckett was standing in front of her murder board, taking in the new evidence and information, unaware of the arrival of the Washington lot. Head tilted, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Man, Tony thought she was not. But he didn't notice the adoration of a look the multi-millionaire writer, Castle, was giving her.

Richard was leaning against her desk, paying more attention to the goddess in front of him than the murder itself, the sleeves of his navy dress shirt rolled up.

Kevin and Javier were on the phones, trying to gather up Petty Officer Nadell's last movements.

"Detective Beckett!" Gates called, and Kate was pulled out of her deep thoughts, while the other two detectives put down their desk phones. "The NCIS agents have arrived. The fierce eyed woman glanced at them. "Special Agent Gibbs-" for she knew what "kind" of agents they were "- this is Detective Kate Beckett, the head of the team that caught the petty officer's case. Beckett, this is Special Agent Gibbs from NCIS, with his agents."

Kate ran her eyes over the Washington lot as her team joined her and Gates and Gibbs exchanged a few words before their Captain left. Truthfully, to Kate, the silver-grey haired man/agent kinda looked _dangerous_.

She was right to think it.

And the foreign girl, who, like her, was the only girl on the team? She looked...sneaky. Lethal, in a way.

And the men? One clearly was a player, she could just _tell. _Had seen it a bit in Castle when they first began to solve cases together, so long ago. The other one, he looked shy, casting curious eyes around the precinct.

He reminded her a bit of Ryan.

"Hi, I am Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, but you can call me Tony."

Tony dived right into introductions towards Kate, oblivious of how close her and Rick were standing. He beamed at Kate, who nodded, blatantly ignoring the suggestions from the way Tony spoke.

"I'm Detective Kate Beckett, and this is Detectives Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito," Kate introduced her law-enforcement side of her team. "And this is-"

She was about to introduce her boyfriend when the shy guy of the NCIS agents gasped, "_You're Richard Castle!" _to her boyfriend.

"Richard who?" Tony asked, and Tim sighed. He couldn't understand Tony's stubbornness of not enjoying books.

"Richard Castle, a multi-millionaire writer. He wrote the Derrick Storm series and the Nikki Heat series too- the first one is being made into a movie, right? That must mean that _you_ are Nikki Heat, Detective Beckett! Wow!"

Tim stared admiringly at the handsome writer, who laughed, "You must have read my books. Or checked out my website. But yeah, I am. I do police consulting as well."

"Like you, McGee, but backwards. He's a writer turned detective, you're an agent turned writer, "Ziver teased McGee playfully. "He's Timothy McGee, I am Ziva David."

Castle caught onto Ziva's tease.

"You're a writer?"

"Yeah, under the name Thom E. Gemcity. Can't let it interfere with my work," Tim admitted, blushing. Castle's eyes lit up. "What?"

"I read them, the Deep Six series! You based them on this lot here, like I do. I think they're brilliant, you've gotta continue."

"You can talk writing later, McGee, but our petty officer is more important currently," Gibbs interrupted, and McGee nodded nervously. "What have you got, Detective Beckett?" he asked.

"Please, call me Beckett, or Kate. Well..."

Kate led the agents over to her board and began to catch them up to speed on the dead New York Navy officer.

The head had not been found as of yet, and Lanie had confirmed decapitation as the cause of death. Nadell (the dead petty officer) had been on leave, back from his second tour in Iraq. No brothers or sisters, only child, single, twenty four years old. His parents lived in Manhattan, and had been informed of their son's demise. They had agreed to come in later to talk to Kate, but had already insisted they had no clue as in to why their kid was in the bad neighbourhood where the body was found in.

A good kid, straight As at school, passed his exams with flying colours, and was about to be promoted. No complaints against him in the Navy.

It hell puzzled Kate as to why Nadell was murdered.

"Trust me, we've seen worse," Ziva noted to her. She noticed Castle pulling on his brown coat. "Where is he going?"

"Coffee run! Anyone want anything?"

Orders were placed by them all, and Gibbs instructed Tim to go with Castle, which only made the thought of going on a coffee run more enjoyable to Tim. Maybe I could get some tips, since I am suffering writer's block, thought McGee, as he glanced at the genius of a writer.

All of Team Gibbs though did notice that Rick bent down his head and kissed Detective Beckett's cheek, his lips lingering on her cheek a bit too long for Gibbs' liking, before he left, with Tim scuttling after him.

"What was that for?" Tony asked, and Espo laughed, "Dude, they are dating, Beckett and Castle, so don't even try!"

"What rule does that break, Gibbs?" Ziva asked her boss curiously while noticing that Kate was refusing to make eye contact as she resumed talking to Gibbs.

"Rules?" Ryan asked, and Tony nodded, "Boss has rules we all go by. Number twelve is "Never date a co-worker.""

"Any more important ones we need to remember at this moment and time?" Espo asked curiously. He was intrigued by these "rules".

"Yep, fifteen: "Always work as a team." and thirty nine:" There is no such thing as coincidence." They are handy now, I suppose," Tony shrugged as their bosses, Gibbs and Kate, began to divide up the workload.

And just before they split up to work, Ziva piped in, with a hint of a smile.

"And for God's sakes, I hope McGee remembers twenty three: "Never mess with a Marine's coffee... if you want to live."..."


	4. Chapter Four: Coffee Run

_**Author's Note:**_

_Sorry it has taken a while to update this, I just want to get this perfect, first time round!_

_As usual, please leave a review. It's much appreciated. Castle and NCIS don't belong to me, obviously. If they did, they probably-no, scrap that- they wouldn't be as brilliant as they are now!_

_Cesca._

* * *

**Chapter Four: Coffee Run**

Rick knew how much Kate had needed some caffeine: to help deal with the stress of a pile of complex and interesting Washington agents coming in and interrupted her precinct.

Ok, it wasn't her precinct, but it practically was.

This was why he had "suggested" the coffee run, and hoped that one of the NCIS agents would be sent with him. Because he knew that Washington people drank coffee, right? Like New Yorkers?

Castle's wish came true. The writer agent was sent with him. Excellent. This way he could do a little bit of investigating himself, for Kate, and find out more information on these agents.

Just call it background research, if you will.

The multi-millionaire writer was intrigued by the newcomers. Especially the way they all kinda...feared...their boss. He saw it in their eyes, oh yeah.

In the elevator, McGee glanced at Richard Castle. He had been a huge fan of his books since he was a kid. They had definitely influenced his decision in joining Gibbs' team. Also, too, he immensely enjoyed the field work. Oh, and the trips down to Abby's lab with all her awesome high-tech computers.

Tim was a good investigator, and he knew there was something going on between the writer and the (yes, he had to admit it) beautiful New York detective they were going to be working with.

"So... you and Detective Beckett... how long has that been going on?"

McGee usually wasn't one to pry-that was Tony's job- but he wanted to prove to Tony that, yes, he _could _investigate.

And also, he wanted to get the dirt on the New York team first, before Ziva and Tony, as it always seemed he found out everything _last_.

Well, not this time. Timothy would find out first.

When they were asked about their current relationship details, both Kate and Rick would deny their dating status. It had only been going on for a couple of months and it was new territory for them both, still. Things to discover and learn; to discuss and come clean about.

It was just so new and meant so much to them that they didn't want to mess anything up.

They were deeply in love and wanted it to last.

Forever.

"Um, nothing's going on," Rick denied it, swallowing. Shit, he thought, maybe I shouldn't have kissed her cheek. Shit. "We're just friends. Partners."

"I am a Special Agent, I am paid to investigate and _notice _things, and I definitely noticed something between you two, Mr Castle."

He had no idea what to call one of his favourite authors, so he stuck with the formal title.

"Call me Castle, Special Agent McGee."

"Call me Tim, and tell me about you and Detective Beckett, Castle."

Tim was a very persuasive man, and Castle could hear it in his voice. As they left the elevator and left the 12th precinct, Castle sighed. He really was trapped this time, and didn't want to find out if NCIS taught their agents any interrogation techniques.

"We're dating, it's very complicated, you really don't need to know," Rick admitted quickly. Tim laughed. "What?"

"I had a girlfriend once who tried to kill me, she was a hired person. And Tony? His name should be beside the words "Complicated relationship" in any dictionary. Trust me, I can handle anything. So, tell me. How did you fall for your muse?-cause, clearly, that is what she is."

"Yeah, she is my muse. We met five years ago, about, when she had to question me about this person who was copying murder scenes from my books. I was just so intrigued by her, you know. We solved the case, and she thought that was that-she really _hated_ me at the start, I am kinda immature, truth be told. But it wasn't the end of it."

"How come?"

They were walking to Beckett and Castle's favourite coffee shop, the place where Castle stopped every morning for his girlfriend's morning boost of coffee. It wasn't that far from the precinct, which was handy for the two writers.

"I'm friends with the Mayor of New York. I sorta asked him to get me into the 12th precinct, so I could do research on "New York's finest". I was blocked. Had nothing to write since I killed off Derrick. He had just come so predictable, you know? There was no more adventure. Then came along Beckett, I could tell straightaway she had a troubled past, there was this sense of mystery around her. It's pretty awesome," Castle explained. "I had to use her. So came along Nicki Heat-Beckett wasn't impressed with the name at first, but she warmed to it...and me. She hated me following her around at first, but I come in useful at times."

"I noticed that air around her. What happened in her past?"

"Her mom was murdered-now that _is_ complicated, and not really my tale to tell, you have to ask Kate-and that's why she came a cop. She could have been a damn good barrister, but no, she became a cop."

Tim could hear the faint sense of pride and awe in Castle's voice.

"Kate wants to bring her mom's killers to justice, except that hasn't been so easy. She got too close and they tried to kill her. She was shot at our old Captain's funeral, Montgomery. In the chest-"Castle touched the exact spot where Kate had been shot on his own chest "-and she nearly died. That was when I told her I loved her, a year and a few months ago. It wasn't about the books anymore. I've done enough research to write twenty books! It's about her."

"If you told her you love her a year or so ago, then why do I sense that you two have only been dating for a few months?"

The two men had to pause their conversation as they entered the coffee shop, and went to place their orders. As the orders were made up, and they waited, Castle continued quietly, making sure nobody was listening in.

"It took her three months to recover and return to duty. Then she said she didn't remember the shooting at all. I didn't want to blow it, so I waited. She's so vulnerable; I didn't want to hurt her. Seven months past, and I waited. That was then when I found out: she was lying to me. She _did_ remember. Everything. We were doing a case, and she told a witness about it. I had been standing behind the glass, watching. She knew I had said that I was in love with her.

"So, I began to drift away. I was hurt, I thought she didn't care; I couldn't deal with facing her every day. I went to Vegas, picked up a random girl on the plane home. I worked with another detective-and nearly got myself killed. I went back, of course. To her. After she saved my ass. Again.

"But it all happened with this one case we had started to investigate a couple of months ago, when my daughter, Alexis, was about to graduate from school. It got linked to Kate's mom's death, and I tried to stop her from going back to it. But Kate's stubborn and she refused and so I quit the team. And she nearly got killed again and quit the force-I persuaded her to go back. She loves the job so much- then she came to my apartment, and kissed me, and we've been together ever since. It's complicated, like I said."

"That _is_ complicated, and that's the basic summary," McGee agreed thoughtfully. Too damn right, he agreed, that is probably one of the most complicated relationships I have ever heard of. It even beats Tony's undercover one!

"So, what about your team, Tim? Tony and Ziva-and Gibbs, who is your boss, right?" Rick asked curiously, pulling Tim out of his thoughts on the complicated relationships that he had ever encountered. "What's all with you?"

"Gibbs is our boss. Never, ever underestimate him. Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He's been married four times, divorced three, widowed once-"

"-and I thought my two marriages were bad! Wife number what was the one that made him a widow?-"

"-wife one. She was murdered, along with their daughter. That's complicated too. He's tough, but fair. Has a thing for smacking us across the back of our heads-Ziva barely gets it, while Tony gets it the most. He was a gunney in the Marines, a sniper. He has these rules and all," Tim explained as they picked up the coffees, "Tony has been on the team the longest. He's a bit of a womanizer, honestly- he will probably try to flirt with Beckett, so watch out. He's a bit of a prankster, and loves to pry into our people's business- oh, and if you hear him call me any of his stupid nicknames for me, ignore them. He comes up with new ones every case."

"And Ziva? She is not an American. She is from the Middle East."

"Ziva David. Legally, she is an American; she became a citizen a while back. She is the newest member to the team, six, seven years ago. She replaced Kate Todd, who got shot in the head during an investigation of ours, protecting Gibbs. For ages, no one would accept Ziva as part of the team."

"Why not?" Rick was anxious to know. The D.C. agents had just as an interesting background as his own team did, and it was one huge mystery that he had to solve.

"The guy who killed Kate was her half-brother, Ari, who then Ziva killed. Ziva is not one to mess with; she is a trained assassin. Don't tell her I told you this, but her father is head of the Mossad."

"No way! Really?" Rick laughed in amazement and shock, staring at the young Special Agent. "Is there any more to your team?"

"Well, Ducky- Doctor Mallard- autopsy our bodies usually, with Palmer, his assistant, and Abby is our forensic technician. I help her out a lot; we are the computer geeks of the team. She is the happiest Goth you will ever meet. You will probably get to meet her over webcam later, unless Gibbs asks her to come here," McGee added. Rick could sense that Tim felt comfortable talking about the girl Abby the most. "As for me, I usually do all the computer stuff. A lot of hacking. I like the field work, but Gibbs trusts me the most when it comes to the computer stuff."

They were getting close to the 12th precinct again. Swapping backgrounds on the teams (well, sort of, in Castle's case) had taken up the entire journey, but the two writers didn't care. Until they knew each other to a certain degree, no writers' tips would be exchanged.

"It seems like you are a close team. Like family," Castle noted seriously to Tim, who nodded, "Yeah, we are. I can tell already that you lot are the same: family."

"Oh yes. I know for a fact that Esposito and Ryan sometimes call Kate and me "Mom" and "Dad" if we have one of our arguments about a case," Castle laughed again. "Espo and Ryan have a little bro-mance, you will soon notice, and Ryan's wife might come in-she does sometimes, to check up on him, they have only been married for around six months."

"Who does your autopsies?"

"Lanie Parish, who is Beckett's best friend. She and Esposito used to date, but they think we never knew. The whole precinct does! I like Lanie, she understands Kate really well."

Rick held open the precinct doors for Tim with one hand, as he only had one carrier of coffee, while the D.C. agent also had one and his laptop case still with him. The multi-millionaire noticed this.

"You didn't leave your laptop!"

"Yeah. Tony. He loves to mess with my things, and I am not in the mood to have to run a virus scan and de-bug my hard drive. It also has some of my novel work on it, and I don't want him or Ziva to read it."

Tim admitted the last part hesitatingly, as if he was unsure to admit to such things. He didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with one of his all-time favourite authors.

"The series is based on them and your work, I understand. I never let Kate read my work, until I am sure it is perfect, then I do, and that was only until recently when we began to date. Beforehand, she would get the newest Nicki Heat book about a week before it went on sale!" Castle smiled ruefully. "Sometimes, when you based characters and things on real-life events, it's best to keep it like that."

"It doesn't help too that I am currently having writer's block," Tim muttered to himself. He was embarrassed then when Rick heard it and said, "Writer's block? I get that a lot! You know what, just go with it. If an idea pops in your head, just write it down, there and then- I wrote once a whole sex scene on toilet roll on a plane trip. That's how mad it can get for me. Have no ideas during the day, and then be bursting with them at night. Kate jokes that I don't have a _real_ job, but it is! You'll see, it just flows. If you want, I can check what you have when we have a moment. I have done it for a few people-thanks, Mother."

"Would you really?" Tim asked in delight. It was the best news he had gotten to do with his writing work in a long time. Wait until my agent hears that I got my work checked by _the _Richard Castle, he thought in amazement.

They got into the lift and Castle hit the button for their floor. He nodded at the agent. Since releasing his recent Nicki Heat book, he was only just starting to plan the next book, and had nothing else to do.

Besides, he was sure that this writer would not try to steal _his_ muse_this time._

"Of course I will, I'd be happy to," Castle beamed one of his famous smiles. "Now, have you got your team's coffees, or mine's?"

Tim checked.

"Yours-"and so they swapped quickly; Tim checked his boss' coffee quickly, recounting the time in his head when he split Gibbs' coffee at a crime scene. He had been new to the game, but the look his boss gave him...

It still sent shivers down Tim McGee's spine all these years later, and had made him never forget Rule Twenty Three:

Never mess with a Marine's coffee... if you want to live.

Their bonding time came to an end when the elevator doors slid open to reveal the busy floor, and so the two writers stepped out.

But a good, solid friendship had been formed on this coffee run, and neither of them forgot it as they rejoined their teams, and began to serve out the fresh coffee, getting back to what they completely enjoyed doing best:

Solving cases.


	5. Chapter Five:Pain

_**Author's Note:**_

_I apologise for the long update! All my work got wiped from my laptop, which I am still raging about._

_Anyway, the next two chapters will be on Kate and Rick's night, and NCIS' first night in the Big Apple._

_As always, __**NCIS**__ and __**Castle**__ don't belong to me. Andrew Marlow, you are KILLING me! Roll on 24__th__ September!_

_However, I own our dead guy. Least that is something!_

_Cesca_

_P.S. Thank you for all the follows and reviews! Keep them coming, please!_

* * *

**Chapter Five: Pain**

"What was that for?"

"Dude, they are dating, Beckett and Castle, so don't even try!"

"What rule does that break, Gibbs?"

Kate was blushing, trying to ignore the D.C. agents and her own team as she turned to the silver-grey haired man, while avoiding his piercing gaze.

_Damnit, Rick, why did you have to kiss me on the cheek?_ She thought, as she resumed talking with Gibbs, as McGee and Castle went on the coffee run.

"So, what work would you like your team to do?" she asked Gibbs, hoping he would let slide that kiss on the cheek Rick had given her before he left. She was in luck. The NCIS agents' boss did, but she half-heard the other's conversation.

Also, what Beckett didn't know was that Gibbs was going to question her later, out of earshot of DiNozzo. He knew how nosey Tony was.

"Has the family been contacted about when they should come in to talk to us?" Gibbs answered, and Kate nodded, saying, "They will be here at lunch, but from what they have said so far, they have no idea what their son was doing in that neighbourhood."

"Let Ziva and Detective Ryan run down Nadell's friends, then, from the Navy. They would know if the kid had any enemies there," Gibbs decided, "It is best we split up our teams, if we are going to be here."

"I agree. Agent DiNozzo and Esposito can go to Autopsy, and see if Lanie, our M.E., has gathered any evidence off the body; she was still working on it last time I was there," Kate added. Hell, like she was gonna argue with Gibbs anyway! She had already decided that he was dangerous and not one to mess with.

She caught Tony telling her two boys these "rules" she had overheard about, just as she and Jethro turned to give out orders.

"Yep, fifteen: "Always work as a team." and thirty nine:" There is no such thing as coincidence." They are handy now, I suppose," Tony spoke.

"Yes, fifteen, which you are about to do now, DiNozzo! I want you and Detective Esposito to go to Autopsy and see if there was any evidence off the body. If there is, get it sent to Abby, in D.C.," Gibbs was in full ordering mode.

"But, Boss, would it be handier if Abby came-"

"Just do it, DiNozzo!"

"Ryan, can you and Agent David run down Nadell's friends from the Navy, see if any of them will talk to us?" Kate took a softer approach to ordering her team around.

Softer that Gibbs, but just as tough.

"Sure thing, Beckett," Ryan didn't object to working with the Israeli, who added another rule to the New Yorkers detectives' knowledge before they split up to work:

"And for God's sakes, I hope McGee remembers twenty three: "Never mess with a Marine's coffee... if you want to live."..."

The two agents and two detectives vanished, leaving their bosses alone. Kate sighed and sat down at her desk, turning her chair around to face the infamous whiteboard.

Gibbs took it upon himself to sit on Castle's chair.

"Why would anybody kill this kid?" she voiced her opinions out loud to Gibbs. "From what I can see, he was such a good one. No apparent enemies, straight grades at school, passed his exams with flying colours, and he was about to be promoted! No complaints against him in the Navy! It's not right!"

"That was just the surface, Beckett, of what the outside world knew about him. Doesn't mean it was true," Gibbs remarked. "Mr Castle took his time saying goodbye to you."

"Castle doesn't know what's good for him or not," Kate sighed. "We are kinda dating. It's a long story, but he being here doesn't affect my work. In fact-and I did _not_ say this, Agent Gibbs- him here makes it easier. God, he's been around for five years!-you are sitting on his chair, by the way."

"You have had a writer tail you for _five _years?!"

Gibbs was shocked at this. McGee as a writer didn't bother him, but when it interfered in agent work, _then_ it bothered Gibbs

"Yeah, I have. There was this guy who was copying murder scenes from his books... I had to get him to assist, and _apparently _I made such an impression on Castle that he pulled strings with the Mayor-who's his friend-and he's been using me as a muse since."

"Doesn't it bother you though?"

"It used to. At the start. But he is quite useful-don't say that I said that."

After her caffeine boost, courtesy of her boyfriend, Kate was able to gear herself up and face the parents.

The worst part of her job.

She knew the pain people experienced when they had to discuss their dead loved one with a cop. All the pain mixed up with the grief and anger... families would feel it for years after that loved one had died. Grief never went away.

Kate knew this.

Kate talking to the parents of the dead Petty Officer ended up with Mrs. Nadell breaking down into hysterical sobs when they went to ID the body and saw that her son had, currently, no head, and Mr. Nadell making some colourful, verbal threats towards his son's killer.

Espo and Tony had to escort them out.

Trace evidence was sent to Abby in D.C. and Ziva and Ryan managed to convince some of Nadell's friends-who were on leave- to come in the next day and talk to them

With nothing new, and all the Navy friends coming in the next day, NCIS and the NY cops went their separate ways: the NCIS team returned to their hotel; Ryan went home to Jenny; Esposito walked out without revealing his night plans, while Kate?

She went home with Castle.

Alexis was home from college.

* * *

_**NEXT CHAPTER: DINNER A LA CASTLE**_

_**YES, WE WILL BE HAVING A LITTLE FAMILY SCENE!**_


	6. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Thank you for all the reviews and I promise that I will have the next chapter up, but I have something I want to address with a review I got.

**Liam577hotmail . com **, you were a guest reviewer and you said I had some grammar problems and you got lost after the first two paragraphs, which I am utterly confused about. I have just reread my whole story, and checked all my spelling and grammar, which I originally used spell-check and grammar-check for. Apart from a few tweaks because of my use of short sentences, they are all fine.

That is why I am utterly confused, because I take great pride in my writing, and it seems that I made have lost a reader over grammar mistakes.

As for your proof-reading idea, I am afraid I can't do that. I don't have a Beta reader, and well, none of my family knows I write Fanfiction and think I am weird anyway, so, that is that option out the window.

This is to all my readers: if you think I can improve in some way, please PM me or tell me in your reviews. It would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and **Darrkstarr**? I am working on the movie quotes; I just have to think of Tony-ish ones to put in some place. But definitely ones will be coming up! The typos are the language difference, I checked them.

Also, for reading my bio, and knowing that I am Irish, you have immediately become my favourite reviewer!

Go raibh maith agat! ("Thank you" in Irish, don't worry, I haven't gone insane yet!)

Trust me; my family is probably even worse than yours.

I'll be back soon with a new chapter!

Cesca.


	7. Author's Note 2

Hi all my brilliant readers,

I have to say that I am officially taking a break from writing and updating for a few reasons:

I need to figure out what route I am going to take my story, honestly. I have, sort of, hit writer's block, and I would love suggestions. Leave them in the reviews or PM me, if you have any!

I have a lot of assessments coming up in school for my final GCSEs (it sucks now being 16, it's horrible; Cliff, I get it, you are older and have it much harder.)

I don't want to rush my writing; I prefer to get everything right first time round. (It's not going too well though. Awkward.)

I have, (again, honestly), no idea when I will be updating next. Hopefully soon.

Cesca

P.S._** Castle**_ fans, how freaking awesome is this new season of _**Castle**_?!


	8. Author's Note 3: READ!

What's the craic, people?

On Monday, I plan to upload what I have written so far for the next chapter and let all the readers see where it will go, because I am missing writing but honestly, writer's block is a b*tch. I have to write an eight page story on tension for 15% of my English Literature GCSE; I mean, WTF?!

Okay, sorry for my ranting. I love all the reviews I have been getting about that you are glad for this cross-over story, and so I am. I love writing, truly.

I promise, Monday, you will have the working progress of my chapter. It is the least I can do, because I know I have left you all hanging. I aplogise immensely for that, cause I hate it too, being left hanging with a story, and now I am doing it to my own readers.

Again, if anyone has any suggestions, PM me.

Cesca

P.S. Thank you, thesquiglet, Darrkstarr and Cherries41319 for your PMs, as you are the ones who are inspiring me to continue with this story.


	9. Chapter Six: Chez Castle

_**Author's Note:** _

_Ok, this is what I have written so far for chapter 6. Where I have stopped is where I am currently stuck. So, please, read and leave me suggestions in reviews or PMs. Credit will certainly be given to whoever deserves it!  
_

_Thanks to Cherries41319 for your suggestion!_**  
**

_Cesca_

* * *

**Chapter Six: Chez Castle**

Kate and Rick held hands in the elevator up to Castle's luxurious apartment. Beckett was _too_ silent for Rick's liking, and so he decided to pick up the burning new topic that just had to be discussed.

"What do you think of NCIS, Kate?"

"What-? Oh, sorry, Rick. I was actually thinking about them. There is something about that Gibbs character that I can't seem to place..."

Yes, all of the New Yorkers had that "gut" feeling about Special Agent Gibbs, even Iron Gates, and no one could shake it off their thoughts.

Especially Kate.

"Tim told me to tell you that we shouldn't underestimate him, Gibbs. Like...you...he has a story too."

"Tim?"

"Special Agent McGee."

Kate couldn't resist having a dig at her boyfriend.

"Oh, look at _you_, getting all pally already with our Fed visitors! Why, do they remind you of your "research work" on the CIA? Of Sophia?"

But Kate immediately regretted mentioning the traitor CIA agent. They had discussed all Kate's ex-boyfriends, on Castle's insistence, but Beckett had had no chance to interrogate Richard on all his past romances, including his two ex-wives. This frustrated Kate immensely.

"God, do we have to discuss her? I told you last year what there was to tell! Drop it, please, Kate," Castle groaned as they stepped out of the elevator onto his level, and let go of Kate's hand. "I don't want to discuss it."

"You never want to discuss it. Oh, sure, we discuss my complete sex life and all my boyfriends, don't we, but never anything about _you_?"

Kate was running low on caffeine and it was making her crabby and tired. Also because she had mentioned Sophia in her current state, she was up for anything. Metaphorically.

"Google me, Kate, and there you will find out everything! Or read my website, like you used to."

Castle pulled out his key and unlocked the door of his apartment, while Kate snapped, "That's not the same coming from you, is it?"

"Are we fighting now, Beckett? I hate fighting with you, and damn, you know it!"

He still helped her out of her coat though, and hung it up with his in the closet, as she took off her ridiculously high heels, and sighed in relief, wriggling her toes.

"I don't know, are we, kitten?" Kate asked acidly, giving the writer an icy glare. Rick sighed, "You need caffeine. You're calling me kitten and giving me freaking _hot_ death stares. I'll go make you coffee."

At that, she lunged for Castle, and grabbed him by his nose; he gasped, wincing, "Apples, apples, woman!" as Kate whispered menacingly in his ear:

"No, what you need to do is _talk_ to me, and not to try to divert me with a Google search!"

She let go of him, and immediately, Castle grabbed her wrists, holding her hands tight together, whispering, "Later, then. Since you are insisting on it. But not around my mother-and, God, woman, when I say 'apples', I mean it!" while pulling her up right close to him, so he could feel the heat of her body radiate off her to him.

Kate melted then, and wriggled one of her hands out of Castle's grip, going to stroke Castle's nose with her forefinger, staring into his eyes, and murmuring, "I'm sorry; you can make me that coffee now that you offered."

"That I will, my beautiful detective-and thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything?" Rick suggested with a hint of a smile, and Kate answered back with their word:

"Always."

Rick bent down his head, and kissed Kate a few times, knowing that they only had a few more precious moments before...

"Richard, darling! And Kate!"

Martha had just appeared out of nowhere, in Kate's point of view, as the couple broke apart, but Rick knew fully that his mother had been spying on them-as usual. She was still giddy over the fact that they were a couple now, after so many years.

"Hello, Mother, how was your day?"

Being the perfect son he was, Rick let go of his girlfriend, breezed over to his mother and gave her a warm hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek. Martha beamed at her son.

"We have decided for our autumn production that we are going to do Macbeth. Nothing like the scheming Lady Macbeth to light up Hallowe'en, I say!"

"Shakespeare, how interesting, Mother."

"How was your day, dears?" Martha asked as the three of them made their way towards the kitchen, and Kate hopped up into her usual seat by the breakfast bar. Rick went for the high-tech coffee machine, to make that promised coffee of Kate's.

"NCIS arrived today, and their boss is like scary. In a weird yet cool way," Castle answered, "and we still have no head. Yet."

"To Rick's delight, they also have a writer on the team. He is an agent turned writer though," Kate beamed at Martha. "He-"

"-kinda reminds me of Ryan," Kate and Castle chorused then, "As he is quiet."

The couple blushed at each other, and Martha laughed. The whole finishing each other's sentences and speaking the exact thing at the same time freaked them out a lot now.

When they weren't together, they wouldn't notice it at all, but they had done it a lot then. However, they had started to notice it now, and it was utterly weird to them.

"Kate, don't forget that Esplanie, Ryan and Jenny are coming over for dinner-"

"Must you call them 'Esplanie'? They aren't even together anymore," Beckett protested. Castle groaned childishly, "But it's too much effort to say Esposito and Lanie, it's just better to use Esplanie. I am still trying to figure out Ryan and Jenny's name, cause ours is Caskett, which I really like-" going off in a tangent, but Kate stopped him by putting her hand over his mouth.

"I get it. You like the name Caskett, and so do I. Ok. But why wasn't I told about this?"

"Um, because I invited them over while we were coming here?" Castle volunteered, smiling sheepishly. "I like seeing Ryan and Jenny together, they are just so cute-oh, and Lanie _is_ your best friend and I don't want Espo to be alone."

Castle had a glint in his eye, the one he got as he concocted a plan; pretty wacked up plans, in Beckett's opinion.

"Rick, don't you dare drop hints about Javi and Lanie getting back together, alright? Leave them be. Promise me that. Just because we sorted out our problems and ended up together, it doesn't mean that you can now dive in and try and fix other people's relationship problems. Promise me that you won't interfere, ok?"

Castle groaned. He was in that mood, feeling, of that his life was perfect and so he had to now help other people in their life's relationships. But if his girlfriend was that serious about it and wanted him to promise not to interfere, then he wouldn't interfere.

"I promise. Always."

Both of them had forgotten about Martha for just a short space of time. But Martha knew of a way to bring the attention back to her.

"I have a surprise for you anyway, Richard, because in a few minutes through the front door will be-"

Martha was interrupted by the front door clicking open, and a voice calling, "Granma? Dad? Kate?"

Richard whipped around, gasping in excitement, while Kate and Martha laughed, as in breezed Rick's beautiful, red headed eighteen year old daughter, home for the weekend from college.

"Alexis!"

Castle dived for his daughter and father and daughter hugged tightly. To Rick, it felt like unbearable _months_ since he had seen his daughter.

"Dad!"

Alexis was enjoying college a lot; a hell of a lot, and, yes, it was brilliant to be living in the halls, but she missed the Soho apartment.

She missed the smell of her Dad's coffee as she woke up in the morning; she missed the sound of her Granma singing a song from one of her drama plays; she missed her insane laser-tag games with Rick.

She missed the smell of pancakes wafting through the apartment as she woke.

But most of all, Alexis missed coming home from a long, hard day and being able to have a hug. From her father.

She loved Castle's hugs.

Castle began to fire off questions to his daughter, being the typical over-protective dad he was, while Kate headed to make the coffee. She didn't like to intrude into the father-daughter moments between Castle and Alexis, yet she seemed to give Castle advice on how to approach raising a teenage girl.

Not that she minded, of course. Alexis was like the daughter she hadn't had yet; Beckett had not ruled out kids, and as Castle had revealed during the amazing murder case at the sci-fi convention, he hadn't ruled out having more children.

Beckett found herself day-dreaming about having a family with Castle as she made coffee, but Martha coming over pulled her out of it.

"So, NCIS. Who are they exactly?"

"A Navy investigation agency," Richard interrupted. "That means all we have to do is work with Homeland _properly _and then we have done a full house."

"We've got a headless marine as our case," Kate explained to Alexis as she hopped up onto a chair by the breakfast bar. Alexis nodded, answering,"I know, I saw the body this afternoon when I went to see Lanie to sort out my working hours at Autopsy."

"_You went and saw a headless body in Autopsy?!"_

Castle was _not _impressed by this. Again, typical over-protective dad.

"Rick, relax, she has seen a few dead bodies from working as an intern- Alexis, just ignore your father," Kate laughed.


End file.
